Ring confirmed it is canceling its planned partnership with Flock Safety, a surveillance technology firm, after mounting scrutiny over how its tools could be used.

In a statement, Ring said a review of the proposed integration determined it would require more time and resources than initially expected, leading both companies to discontinue the effort. The company emphasized that the integration never launched and that no customer video footage was ever shared with Flock.

Flock Safety issued its own statement, saying the decision allows both firms to better serve their customers and communities. The company reiterated its commitment to providing tools to law enforcement agencies that comply with local laws and policies.

The collaboration, first announced in October 2025, was intended to create a feature called “Community Requests.” The tool would have allowed public safety agencies to request assistance from residents during criminal investigations, including the voluntary submission of doorbell camera footage. Participation would have remained optional for homeowners.

Public attention intensified after a Super Bowl commercial promoted Ring’s “Search Party” feature, which uses artificial intelligence to help users identify specific visual elements across shared camera networks. While the ad framed the feature around locating a lost dog, critics on social media raised concerns about the broader implications of expanded camera connectivity and AI-enabled searches.

Despite those concerns, video doorbell footage has played a role in solving recent criminal investigations. In December 2025, Providence police used community-submitted footage following a shooting near Brown University. According to Ring, multiple residents responded to a public request, providing video that helped identify a key witness and ultimately led authorities to a suspect vehicle.

Separately, the Federal Bureau of Investigation released Nest doorbell footage showing a masked person of interest in the disappearance of Nancy Guthrie, the mother of “Today” show host Savannah Guthrie.

Activist groups had been urging Ring to sever ties with Flock even before the Super Bowl broadcast, citing concerns that Flock’s broader license plate reader network can be accessed by agencies such as Immigration and Customs Enforcement and Customs and Border Protection. A protest was scheduled outside Amazon’s headquarters in Seattle calling for the company to cut ties with Flock and federal immigration authorities.

Ring has not indicated whether it plans to pursue alternative partnerships for similar public safety initiatives.